CAARP
Cinema and Audience Research Project

"In 1917, a new Agricultural Hall was built a little further north in Victoria St, its foundation stone laid on 17 December 1917. In 1935, this building was extended to house the Shire Offices, with the original foundation stone re-located into the new facade. A. F. (Tom) Nulsen, of West Touring Talkies, leased exclusive rights to show pictures in the hall once each fortnight, and in 1940 sold his business to Ray Dean, who was screening five nights each fortnight in the hall in the early forties.

In 1948, Dean opened an open air pictures, behind the Roads Board Hall, with entrance still from Victoria St between the Roads Board Hall and the Agricultural Hall/Shire Offices. He began screening there in summer and in the hall in winter. The open air theatre had a gravel floor, on which stood rows of metal-framed deckchairs, each seating four or five people, and the screen was at the eastern end. The only plants were some poplars, along the south side of the high galvanised iron fence. The gardens had a projection booth quite separate from that in the hall.

On 6 March 1959 a completely new Mingenew Hall was opened, still further north in the same block. Screenings in the hall ceased in the mid-sixties, when the drive-in was built" (Bertrand 2001)

References
Cinemaweb: http://www.ammpt.asn.au/CinemaWEB/SITE/view.php?rec_id=0000000028